Not so long ago, Acer relied on traditional hard drives as storage for its C7 Chromebook line, even if Google emphasized that the Chrome OS and systems running it didn't require huge amounts of local storage. But the company recently released the $199 C710-2833 Chromebook at Best Buy with a 16GB solid-state drive, and now it has released the C710-2856 Chromebook with the same storage and price, and has extended its retailer footprint to Walmart.

Aside from the 16GB SSD replacing a 320GB hard drive, the C710-2856 has similar specs to an Acer Chromebook released late last year, using an Intel Celeron 847 processor, 2GB of RAM, and an 11.6-inch LED-backlit screen. The 3.05-pound system also includes a webcam and built-in 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and features four hours of battery life. By using flash storage instead of a traditional hard drive, the C710-2856 can boot up in just 8 seconds, according to Acer.

But perhaps most notable is that C710-2856 is the first Chromebook to be sold at Walmart, one of the major retailers that Google announced it was working with to expand the locations where you can purchase Chromebooks. Acer (and Google) are hoping the expansion to the mega-retailer and also Staples will expose more back-to-school shoppers to the Chromebook lineup. Do you think a laptop like the C710-2856 is a suitable student laptop? Let us know in the Talkback section below.